


Blanket: #21

by Ignisentis



Series: 32 Ways To Say I Love You [21]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: F/M, Idiots in Love, M/M, Pepper Potts Is a Good Bro, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, outsider pov
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-04
Updated: 2020-02-04
Packaged: 2021-02-27 21:20:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22552411
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ignisentis/pseuds/Ignisentis
Summary: Pepper Potts is intrigued when Bucky Barnes comes to her office one day and asks if she can help him learn how to use a sewing machine. Intrigued enough to want to learn herself, and the two of them bond over the sewing table.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers, Pepper Potts/Tony Stark
Series: 32 Ways To Say I Love You [21]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1602352
Comments: 70
Kudos: 211





	Blanket: #21

**Author's Note:**

> I'm trying something a little different today! This entry is told in Pepper's POV, and it's longer than usual, so enjoy!
> 
> Thank you to [paperstorm](http://paper-storm.tumblr.com) for listening to me brainstorm this, for commiserating when I couldn't figure out how to handle Pepper's voice, and for giving it a quick beta. You're the best!!!

Pepper Potts looks up from her computer at the knock on her office door. “Yes?” she calls out, a little confused because her next meeting isn’t due to start for another — she glances at the clock on her monitor — 45 minutes.

Her assistant, Michelle, opens the door and steps into the office. “I know you said you didn’t want to be disturbed, but there’s a Mr. James Barnes here to see you.”

Pepper tilts her head at the name. “James Barnes...oh, Bucky?”

“I think so. He told me James Barnes, but…”

Pepper smiles and starts closing her files. “Tell him he can come in, Michelle, thank you. Oh, and you were right to interrupt me for this. Good judgment call.”

Michelle smiles and turns to leave. Pepper finishes saving her files and putting her computer to sleep before slipping her heels back on and moving over to the sitting area near her desk. She stands and waits for Bucky to come in the room, which he does presently, following Michelle.

“Bucky, what a pleasant surprise!” Pepper tells him when he’s done scoping out her office. “Do you want anything to drink? Eat?”

“Uh…” Bucky hedges.

“Michelle, how about some water and fruit, if there’s anything available?” Pepper asks.

“I’ll get right on that,” Michelle says. Pepper thanks her and indicates to Bucky that he can sit on a couch. She sits down on the one across from him and settles in. 

“So, what brings you here today?” Pepper asks, full of curiosity. She’s seen Bucky around plenty and has spent time with him at game and movie nights, group dinners, that sort of thing. But he’s always had Steve around as a buffer, and she’s never spent any time just with Bucky alone.

“I need help with something,” he says quietly, eyes not quite meeting hers.

“Okay, what can I do?” she asks, curiosity piqued even more. “Anything other than hiding a body.”

“What?” Bucky looks up in alarm, and oops, maybe it’s too soon for that.

“I’m sorry, that was a bad joke. Too much time around Tony, I think. Please forgive me.”

“Oh,” Bucky says, looking relieved. “I said I needed help, Pepper. You really think I need help hiding a body?”

“I…” she’s not sure how to answer that, even more unsure how this discussion went so sideways so fast, but Bucky quirks a devilish smile, and oh. Oh, he’s  _ fucking _ with her. “Touché,” she says around a smile.

“No, I need help with a project for Steve. You know how he knits stuff for me? Well, for everyone now, but mostly for me?”

“Yeah, his socks are  _ amazing _ .”

“Right? Anyway, I want to make something for him. Something soft and cozy like he does for me. And I thought maybe a blanket would be good.”

“Does he like blankets especially?”

Bucky nods. “I mean, who doesn’t, really. But he likes to curl up under one while he’s knitting, or snuggle up on the couch and take a nap. So yeah, his own blanket he could use for a nap would be perfect, I think.”

Pepper whimpers a little bit at the idea of Steve napping on the couch. How in the hell two stone-cold foxes built like brick houses managed to go through so much and come out the softest people she’s ever met is a mystery for the ages. It’s also adorable as hell, and though she tries very hard to keep her cool when confronted with the full power of their domestic bliss, sometimes she just loses that fucking battle.

Bucky frowns at her. “No? Bad idea?”

She shakes her head at him, then realizes that’s probably sending the wrong message. “I think it’s perfect. He’ll love it. He’ll love anything you make him, you know he will, but this is especially good.”

Bucky smiles and ducks his head to try and hide the incredibly dopey grin on his face. God. These two.

“So how exactly can I help you with this, Bucky?”

“Well, I know how to sew simple stuff by hand. I used to do a lot of our mending: buttons and hems, tears when Steve would get into scuffles and mess up his shirts, stuff like that. But I think this is going to need a machine, and I don’t know how to use one of those.”

“And you came to me because you think I do? Because...I’m a woman?”

Bucky recoils, and Pepper feels incredibly fond of him for that reaction. 

“What?! No!! Do people actually do that sort of thing? Holy shit. No, I came to you because you’re the best civilian planner I know, and I tried to figure out what to do using the internet, but I didn’t even know where to start looking. I figured if you didn’t know how to use a machine, then you’d at least be able to figure out what I needed to do to learn. Classes or videos, maybe? And what kind of sewing machine do I need? How do I figure that out?

Also, I want to keep this a secret, and you’re the only other person in the Tower who’s immune to Steve’s puppy eyes. I figured you wouldn’t fold if he found out we met and asked what was going on.”

Pepper smiles as another wave of fondness washes over her. She’s starting to understand Steve’s unwavering devotion a little better.

“Okay, what would you say to this: I actually don’t know how to use a sewing machine, but I think I’d like to learn, too, if that’s okay with you.”

“Really?” Bucky asks, hopeful but trying to hide it. “You don’t have to. I know you’re incredibly busy running the company and all.”

“I am, but I can’t remember the last time I learned a new skill just because I wanted to and not because I  _ needed _ to. Besides, it’s always nice to have someone to commiserate with when you’re just starting a new hobby and you stink at it. It’ll be fun.”

Bucky smiles at her, a full, true smile, and Pepper is amazed at how it transforms his whole face. 

“I’d like that, Pepper. I really would.”

Pepper smiles back, nodding her head in delight. “Good. How about we meet in the evenings, at my place? Tony’s usually in his lab, and if he isn’t, I’ll swear him to secrecy. Maybe I’ll make him a blanket, too. He might get a kick out of it. I’ll have Jarvis text you when I have all our supplies ready. Should be soon, though, within the next few days.”

Bucky stands up and holds out his hand for Pepper, so she stands up and shakes it. “Thank you, Pepper. That sounds perfect. I won’t take up any more of your time, but I’ll talk to you soon.”

It takes a few days to get everything pulled together, but once everything is ready, she has Jarvis text Bucky, and they make a plan to meet on the floor Tony and she share the next evening. 

Pepper has everything set up in one of the spare guest rooms they don’t ever use. She moves the bed out and brings in a long table with some nice chairs, runs a power strip under it so they can plug in their sewing machines. There’s a long chest of drawers on one wall that holds some fabric and thread, pins and buttons, measuring tapes, fabric scissors. Okay,  _ maybe _ she had gone a little overboard with the initial supplies purchasing. 

The room is nice and bright, the floor-to-ceiling window letting in a lot of natural light since they’re high enough up the building that the surrounding buildings don’t block anything. She’s reasonably certain Tony has never even set foot in this room before, so she doubts he’ll just wander in. Satisfied that everything is as ready as it can be, she goes back out to their main living area to wait for Bucky to arrive.

“Here,” Bucky says as he steps off the elevator, shoving a plate of cookies into Pepper’s hands. 

“Did you make these?” she asks, surprised. She didn’t know Bucky baked.

He shrugs. “Yeah. I like it. Soothing.”

“I bet Steve likes it, too,” she teases.

Bucky’s eyes go soft. “Yeah. He does.”

“Well, if you’re ready, we can go get started. Maybe we’ll take a cookie and snack break in a little bit?”

“That sounds great.”

Pepper detours to the kitchen to set down the plate of cookies before showing Bucky their sewing room. He looks around and compliments her on the setup, and they pull out some fabric and the sewing machine instruction manuals and get started.

An hour later, and nothing they’ve tried has worked: first they couldn’t get the thread on the bobbins, then they couldn’t get the needles threaded on their machines, and once they  _ finally _ figured out both of those things, the fabric kept bunching up.

“I think we need some help,” Pepper says, admitting defeat.

“I am the goddamn Winter Soldier, I refuse to be defeated by a  _ sewing machine _ !” Bucky hisses, glaring at the offending machine. Pepper laughs and places her hand on his arm as she stands up.

“Well, _ I’m _ going to go have some cookies and make a few phone calls, see if we can’t find someone to come give us a lesson or two.” Bucky grumbles, but he gets up to join her in the kitchen, glaring back at the sewing machine as he does.

~~~

Pepper manages to find a lovely woman to come teach them how to use their sewing machines, and once she gives them a few lessons, it turns out they’re both pretty good at sewing. They practice on some scrap fabric for a while, then they make some simple pillowcases for the throw pillows on their respective couches. 

“Steve noticed the pillows,” Bucky tells Pepper at their next sewing night. “He looked at them and did that lifty eyebrow thing he does, you know the one?”

“Yeah,” Pepper says, because she does. 

“Then he looked at me, all soft, and I could tell he wanted to ask something, but I think he worked it out because he just said, ‘is this what you’re doing when you hang with Pepper?’”

“What did you say?”

“Well, I didn’t even tell him I was coming here to hang with you, I just told him I was spending time with a friend, so I asked him how he knew, and he just shrugged and said ‘Tony,’ like that’s an answer. Well. I guess it  _ is _ an answer.”

“Yeah, I was going to tell you today, but Tony came into our sewing room two nights ago after you left. I wanted to finish that one pillowcase, you know, the herringbone one? So I was still working, and he came home from the lab early and asked Jarvis where I was. He walked in here and was confused for a minute before asking what I was doing, so I told him the truth: that you and I were learning how to sew. He got really excited, Bucky, you should have seen the look on his face. Anyway, he asked if Steve knew, and I said I wasn’t sure, but if he talked to Steve about it, just not to tell him any details of the projects we’re working on because we wanted it to be a surprise. Which made him even  _ more _ excited, but I made him promise to not get all Tony about it. I’m sorry, I hope it was okay that I told Tony he could tell Steve.” 

Pepper waits anxiously for Bucky’s reply. She’s really enjoyed learning a new skill together and spending time with him. He’s clever and witty, sweet and funny, and he’s a really good listener. He seems to instinctively know when she just needs to vent and when she wants help to work through a problem.

She’d asked him one time how he was so good at knowing the difference, and he’d shrugged and said, “Steve was always angry about something or other when we were growing up, and most times he just needed to get it out of his system. But sometimes he wanted my help, he just didn’t know how to ask for it. So I got real good at knowing which was which.”

“Oh,” Bucky says now, “yeah, that’s fine. Honestly, Pepper, I’m surprised Tony hasn’t come in here sooner. As long as he keeps the blanket project a surprise, I don’t really care who he tells about this whole sewing thing.”

“Good,” Pepper says, relieved. “That’s good.”

“Aw, were you worried I’d be mad?” Bucky asks, smirking.

“A little.”

“Nah, it’s fine. I understand.”

Pepper smiles at him. “Hey, in that case, speaking of blankets, do you think you’re ready to start one? Because I think I am.”

“Yeah,” Bucky says, excitedly. “I had a thought about that, actually. I was thinking...what about a weighted blanket? Have you heard of those?”

“No, I haven’t.”

“So they’re blankets with like...plastic pellets or something inside to make them heavier, and apparently they’re really good for helping someone feel calm, or to fall asleep and stay asleep. I thought Steve might like one. Sometimes he has a hard time being still, and I thought it might help.”

“Oh, Bucky, that sounds really good. Tony has a hard time sleeping, so I wonder if this would help him?”

Bucky shrugs. “Can’t hurt, right?”

“Okay, let’s try it. We can find a tutorial online and then get started with the supplies.”

“Sounds good,” Bucky says, pulling out his phone to look up a tutorial.

~~~

YouTube has the answers, and the vlogger has a link to their blog in the comment section, so Pepper opens the link and finds the materials list. The plastic pellets to make the blanket weighted are easiest to get in bulk quantities, so Pepper orders a lot of those, and they make plans to go to a fabric store the next day and pick out fabrics to use. The vlogger suggests something called minky for one of the sides because it’s sturdy and soft, but they both decide they want to feel it first before making a decision.

Turns out the vlogger was right: minky fabric is incredibly soft, and Bucky especially loves it. They also find some novelty Avengers flannel fabric, one with Iron Man flying all over it that Pepper picks for Tony, and one with little logos of each team member in black and gray that Bucky thinks Steve will like. He almost gets the one with little Captain Americas in heroic poses, but they both end up agreeing it might be a step too far for Steve.

Fabric in hand, they head back to the Tower and start measuring, cutting, and basteing the fabric together, getting as much done as they can before the plastic pellets arrive sometime later in the week.

The prep work for this project is mostly just sewing in straight lines, so they end up talking and sharing stories, laughing together and just generally having a good time. Pepper’s face hurts by the time Bucky leaves, she’s spent so much time smiling and laughing.

Tony notices that night when he comes to bed. “You seem really happy,” he says.

“Yeah. I am. It was a good day.”

“Robocop treating you well?”

Pepper slaps Tony on the arm lightly, tsking at him. “Don’t call him that,” she admonishes. “But yeah. He’s really wonderful, Tony, it’s been fun getting to know him. He’s been through so much, but he’s still curious about the world. And he’s  _ so gone _ on Steve, it’s sweet. You should see the way his face lights up when he talks about him. Makes me happy that they found each other again, you know?”

Tony just looks at her a while with that assessing look he gets sometimes, but whatever it is he sees on her face makes his own go soft after a little while. “Yeah. I do know.”

Pepper shifts closer and reaches out, wrapping her arm around Tony’s waist and tucking herself against him. “I know it hasn’t always been easy for you to have them here, Bucky especially, but you did a good thing for them.”

Tony starts to talk but his voice cracks, so he clears his throat and stays silent instead. Pepper gets it anyway. “You’re welcome,” she says, pressing a kiss to Tony’s collarbone.

~~~

Pepper is sitting on the couch waiting for Bucky to arrive, leg bouncing. They’d both finished their blankets two days ago and had decided to wait until tonight’s sewing night to tell each other in person how the giving had gone. She hoped Steve reacted as well as Tony had. And she would know if Bucky would get here already!!

She checks the time again and sees that Bucky is, in fact, not late yet. He won’t be late for another ten minutes, ugh. So her leg bounces and bounces and bounces, and hell, maybe a drink would help.

Jarvis announces Bucky’s arrival right as she stands up to pour herself a drink, and she gasps delightedly and waves at Bucky as he walks in. Why she waves she’ll never know, but whatever, Bucky just waves back, so she doesn’t feel too silly.

“Well?!?” she says when Bucky’s close enough. “How did it go? You’re smiling, so I take it he liked the blanket?”

“He cried!”

“No!” Pepper gasps.

“Yeah! He pulled it out of the gift bag and like traced it gently with his fingers, and then he looked up at me with that super soft look on his face, you know the one where his eyebrows furrow and those little lines form between his eyebrows and he looks like the most adorable sad labrador?”

“Yeah,” she says, because she totally does. “God, that’s so fucking cute.”

“Right? And then I started explaining why it was weighted and how it was supposed to help him feel calmer and less restless, and to help stay asleep longer, and he just whispered ‘Buck’ and then he started crying, so of course I had to hold him and talk him down, and it was so...god, Pepper, it was so satisfying. Not that he was crying, but it was happy crying, so that’s okay. Just...he was so appreciative. Then he goes, ‘is this what it feels like for you when I knit you something?’ And I was like, ‘well, yeah,’ and he just sort of shook his head. But once he was feeling better, he said he was gonna use it and take a nap.”

“And did he?”

“He did! He slept for three hours, Pepper, he never naps that long! When he woke up, he told me he’d never had a nap that good, that he felt really rested, and it was all because of the blanket I made him.”

“Bucky!! That’s so exciting!”

“Yeah, I was so happy for him! Then he dragged me to our bedroom and showed me  _ exactly  _ how much he appreciated the gift, so wins all around.”

“Hell yes, go get it, Bucky!” Bucky raises his hand and Pepper high fives him. He beams at her, and Pepper’s not sure she’s ever seen him look happier. 

“Thank you, Pepper. For helping me make this happen for him.”

“You are so welcome, Bucky.”

“Okay, now you. Tell me how it went with Tony.”

“Well,” she leans in conspiratorially, “he didn’t know what it was when he pulled it out of the bag, so I explained, and he just sat there for a minute. Then he looked up at me with his eyes wide, his mouth open in shock. He tried to say something but he just squeaked, and then he turned and walked out of the room, clutching the blanket in his arms. ‘Lab,’ he said, and then he got on the elevator.”

“Oh, Pepper, I’m sorry.”

“Sorry? That was a great reaction! He  _ loved _ it! I went down to the lab later to tell him to come to bed, and he had fallen asleep on the couch, the blanket draped over him. It was 11:00 at night. He’s  _ never _ asleep that early!”

“Oh, hey, that’s awesome!”

“And then this morning, there was a bouquet of flowers made out of welded metal and gears waiting for me on my desk.”

“Aw, Pepper!”

“I took a picture! Here, look!”

Bucky coos at the bouquet when Pepper pulls up the photo. “Wow,” Bucky says, “that could not have gone better for either of us.”

“Yeah,” she agrees.

They’re both silent for a little while, remembering the reactions happily. “So,” Bucky says eventually. “I guess...that’s it, huh? We reached our sewing goal.”

“Huh. I guess we did.” Pepper feels...sad, somehow. She’s so enjoyed sewing with Bucky these past weeks. She realizes she hadn’t really thought about it, but she doesn’t want it to end. “You know,” she starts, hesitantly. “I bet Bruce could use a weighted blanket for stress relief.”

Bucky nods. “Natasha has trouble sleeping sometimes. She could use one, too.”

“Clint is always hurting himself and could use something to help soothe him.”

“Really, who  _ wouldn’t  _ want a weighted blanket?”

Pepper nods in agreement. “I did buy way too many plastic pellets. Would be a shame to see them go to waste.”

“And...I mean, even when we are done with the blankets, it’s not like there aren’t a million other things we could learn to sew.”

“I’ve always wanted to make my own dress,” Pepper adds.

“I could make Steve a shirt that isn’t three sizes too small.”

Pepper giggles. It’s true, Steve does wear his shirts way too small, not that she’s complaining. “Well, then I guess we’d better keep meeting up for sewing night.”

Bucky smiles at her. “I guess so.”

Pepper smiles back and links her arm with Bucky’s as they head to their sewing room.

  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
